Review- 'Minor Lives' by Gary Murray & LN.

A couple of months ago, I was thrilled to find an e-mail from Gary Murray in my inbox, politely inquiring if I’d be willing to review his latest album on our site. As a longtime fan or Mr. Murray’s musical output, I was honored and excited, and of course I said “yes.” So why has it taken so long to post my review? Well, partially because it has taken that long to digest the fantastic Minor Lives to the best of my ability. (I’m also a bit of a procrastinator.)

First of all, for the uninitiated, Gary Murray is the front man for the band LN, a longtime member of the Velvet Blue Music family, and an all-around amazing band. He has also released a few self-titled solo projects over the years. Minor Lives falls somewhere in between, as it is officially a release from “Gary Murray & LN.” It seems like a perfect decision, since the music is a seamless blend of the mellow, layered noise of LN, and the more folksy feel of Murray’s solo work.

Mr. Murray was kind enough to send me a physical copy for review (I’m not a fan of digital downloads). My experience with the album began as I opened the package. First, a sleek, black, outer envelope, and then a simple origami fold encased the CD. The sleeve design is simple, yet elegant, with right angles and bold fonts. It felt like I was receiving an invitation to a black tie affair. Classy. And that perfectly sums up the album itself. It’s a class act that deserves a great deal of attention and acclaim.

Musically, these are some of the best songs to come out of the LN camp, and possibly the most catchy as well. I don’t usually think of LN as a sing-along type band, but I’ve found myself with several of these songs stuck in my head (especially the opening track, “Hallelujah Shines”). In fact, when I started playing the CD in the office, I immediately had a couple of co-workers crowding my desk, asking who I was listening to.

The album as a whole feels like a perfectly structured story: the first act consists of four songs, followed by a long instrumental interlude, and then the second act concludes with four songs. The symmetry adds to the feeling of a carefully crafted, cohesive piece.

While the lyrics are deeply enigmatic (at least to me) there are definite recurring themes (heroes, monsters, storms, etc.) and it feels like the album tells a story. Maybe a more insightful listener can decipher it and fill me in on the mystery in the comments.

My favorite individual tracks are “Hallelujah Shines,” “The Sound of the Monster,” and the title track, “Minor Lives.” There isn't a weak song in the bunch, although the seven minute instrumental interlude “Sea of M” is probably the least radio friendly.

In case I haven’t made it abundantly clear, I absolutely love Minor Lives. Please do yourself a favor and follow the links below to get yourself a copy.